5 foreign players at the World T20 who are madly loved by Indian fans

The World T20 tournament is in its nascent stages but already it has offered us some mouth-watering clashes. The level of excitement has been high and the quality of cricket has been superb so far. The rivalry and emotion have also understandably been top notch.But it is heartening to see that fans can sometimes think beyond their own nations and cheer for players from other teams. There are some players from other nations who have consistently been adored by Indian fans.Here are 5 foreign players at the World T20 this year who are madly loved by the Indian fans:

#5 Dwayne Bravo

Bravo has endeared him to the Indian crowds during his stints in IPL

There's nothing much to hate about the current West Indies T20 outfit. Considered to be T20 rockstars who always play with a big heart, there is no malice against the Windies though they are considered to be potential title contenders.

One of the most loved cricketers in the West Indies team has to be Dwayne Bravo. Bravo has endeared him to the Indian crowds during his stints with the MI and the CSK in the IPL. He is therefore particularly loved in Mumbai and Chennai.

Bravo has continuously reiterated his love for India. And the spectators love him for his antics on the field. Be it his superb fielding, big hitting or the impromptu dances he breaks into after moments of brilliance, it is indeed difficult to take his eyes off him. Like a master craftsman, he also knows how to play to the galleries and work up the crowd to get them on his side.

#4 Shakib al Hasan

Shakib is well-loved by cricket fans in India

The first Bangladeshi cricketer to have led their renaissance in international cricket, Shakib al Hasan has been a premier all-rounder for some time now. Some pundits even argue that he is one of the few remaining genuine all-rounders in world cricket today.

Shakib is well-loved by cricket fans in India and particularly in Kolkata because he is now the only prominent Bengali cricketer in the KKR outfit now. Shakib has had a long stint with the KKR and has mostly done well in the IPL matches he has played.

Be it for KKR or Bangladesh, Shakib never fails to get support whenever he plays at the Eden Gardens. In their match against Pakistan in the World T20, he got boisterous support from the crowd in Kolkata. He disappointed them with an ordinary bowling performance but came back later to play a good innings with the bat.

#3 Shahid Afridi

Indian crowd has always had a soft spot for Shahid Afridi

India-Pakistan matches thrive on the concept of intense rivalry and excitement. But unthinkable as it may seem, the Indian crowd has always had a soft spot for Shahid Afridi. Always one to wear his heart on his sleeves, Afridi is someone who is indeed very tough to hate.

In their opening World T20 match against Bangladesh, the Eden Gardens crowd in Kolkata were heard cheering for Boom Boom as he played a superlative knock of 49 of 19 balls. Afridi seemed to have found his form back in that match as he followed up his innings with a good bowling display.

Indians fans have always loved Afridi for his big-hitting and brutal honesty. He had found himself in trouble back home for admitting that he has felt more loved in India just before the start of the tournament. Afridi had also highlighted that there is no shame in losing to India and Indian culture, particularly Bollywood, is very popular in Pakistani homes.

#2 Chris Gayle

Bangalore's favourite son

Collective chants of "We want Gayle, we want Gayle" rang around the stadium. This was not in a stadium anywhere in the Caribbean but in M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru during the Windies' clash against Sri Lanka at the World T20.

Gayle had not come out to bat following a hamstring injury. When the caught behind appeal against Fletcher was turned down by the third umpire, a collective sigh of disappointment went up in the crowd. They had come to witness the Gayle storm.

Chris Gayle is of course, Bangalore's favourite son for having played many brilliant innings for the RCB in the Bangalore. Wherever you are in the world, you got to appreciate the absolute decimation that Chris Gayle brings about. And in India, he is absolutely loved by the crowd for his larger-than-life persona and his brutal power-hitting.

#1 AB de Villiers

Indian fans do not just love him, they adore and worship him.

Perhaps the most unconventional and insanely talented batsman of the present generation, AB de Villiers is loved by cricket fans all around the world. But Indian fans do not just love him, they adore and worship him. He is perhaps the most loved foreign player in India now.

As he came out to bat against Afghanistan, the Wankhede crowd went berserk crying "ABD, ABD". De Villiers played himself in and then duly acknowledged the crowd by cutting loose. He was at his insane best as he plundered 29 runs off the 17th over and scored 64 off just 29 balls.

With scoops and reverse shots, De Villiers is a bowler's nightmare but the crowd's darling when he is on a song. He has made himself popular among the Indian fans by playing some mind-blowing knocks for the RCB in the IPL.